Islamabad - Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) has demanded formation of a judicial commission and a joint inquiry committee having one Christian cleric so that the findings of Kot Radha Kishan, Lahore, tragedy may be made transparent.
Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL), a nongovernmental organisation, held a press conference on Monday in Islamabad to demand a speedy trial of the Kot Radha Kishan incident. The brothers and sister-in-law of the unfortunate couple were also present at the press conference.
PIL Chairman Sajid Ishaq demanded formation of a judicial commission. He also called for the formation of a joint inquiry committee, which should include Justice (Retd) Kazi Waheed Siddiqui, who was the ex-Justice of the FSC and one Christian cleric, so that the findings may be made transparent.
The brothers of the victim Sajjad said that the government had offered them land and money as compensation for the murders of their brother, sister-in-law and their unborn child; however, they were speculative as to what their true intensions were in this regard.
They said that they wanted justice for the departed souls of their brother and his family which was only possible through an in-depth investigation of the incident and trial and punishment of the culprits. They said that they were receiving life threats and were fearful and insecure living in a Muslim neighbourhood feeling that other family members, especially the children of their deceased brother, might be the next target of the religious extremists. Sajid Ishaq strongly condemned the brutal killing in Kot Radha Kishan on November 4, 2014 where a Christian couple, Sajjad and Shama, was molested, physically assaulted, humiliated and then burnt alive.
The chairman demanded of the chief justice of Pakistan to take a suo moto notice of this case so that a speedy trial of the incident might be carried out and an exemplary punishment might be awarded to the culprits of the murder incident.
He demanded implementation of the law so that people who commit murders and arson in the name of religion are awarded strict and immediate punishment. He further added if the perpetrators of previous incidents of religious extremism, such as Gojra, Kasur and Joseph Colony, had been held accountable, no one would have dared to commit such a crime again.
Ishaq said that this was a test case for the government as the government itself was the complainant in the case. The FIR against the perpetrators was registered by the government itself that clearly states that it was a false and baseless accusation. The fair and just trial and judgement would be a clear indication to the religious minorities of the seriousness on part of the government to provide equal rights, justice and protection as professed by them on many occasions. He said that it was the duty of the government to provide protection not only to the village where this unfortunate incident took place but also to the Christians of the adjoining villages because they were extremely traumatised. Ishaq demanded of the government to make the findings of the case public and ensure that severe punishment is awarded to the culprits so that no one misuses religion as an excuse for personal vendettas ever again.